Poinsettia plant named ‘PER310’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named ‘PER310’, characterized by its upright and mounded plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely and upright branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; mid-season flowering response; large inflorescences with dark red-colored flower bracts with random light red and pink-colored flecks and sectors; and good post-production longevity.

Botanical designation: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd.

Cultivar denomination: ‘PER310’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd., and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘PER310’.

The new Poinsettia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Encinitas, Calif. The objective of the breeding program is to create new uniform Poinsettia plants having large inflorescences with attractive flower bracts and excellent post-production longevity.

The new Poinsettia plant originated is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ‘PER1139’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,180. The new Poinsettia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within a population of plants of ‘PER1139’ in a controlled greenhouse environment in Encinitas, Calif. on Jul. 17, 2009.

Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia plant by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Encinitas, Calif. since January, 2010 has shown that the unique features of this new Poinsettia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Poinsettia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘PER310’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘PER310’ as a new and distinct Poinsettia plant:

-   -   1. Upright and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely and upright branching habit.     -   4. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   5. Mid-season flowering response; under natural season         conditions, plants flower in late November in Southern         California.     -   6. Large inflorescences with dark red-colored flower bracts with         random light red and pink-colored flecks and sectors.     -   7. Good post-production longevity.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Poinsettia differ primarily from plants of the parent, ‘PER1139’, in flower bract color as plants of ‘PER1139’ have bright red-colored flower bracts with no flecking.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ‘Peterstar Pink’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,879. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Poinsettia differed primarily from plants of ‘Peterstar Pink’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Branching habit of plants of the new Poinsettia was more         upright than branching habit of plants of ‘Peterstar Pink’.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Poinsettia were darker green in         color than leaves of plants of ‘Peterstar Pink’.     -   3. Plants of the new Poinsettia flowered about two days earlier         than plants of ‘Peterstar Pink’ when grown under natural season         conditions.     -   4. Plants of the new Poinsettia and ‘Peterstar Pink’ differed in         flower bract color as plants of ‘Peterstar Pink’ had dark         pink-colored flower bracts.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can also be compared to plants of the Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ‘127’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,308. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Poinsettia differed primarily from plants of ‘127’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia were not as vigorous as plants         of ‘127’.     -   2. Branching habit of plants of the new Poinsettia was more         upright than branching habit of plants of ‘127’.     -   3. Plants of the new Poinsettia had darker green-colored leaves         than plants of ‘127’.     -   4. Plants of the new Poinsettia flowered about twelve days         earlier than plants of ‘127’ when grown under natural season         conditions.     -   5. Plants of the new Poinsettia and ‘127’ differed slightly in         flower bract color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Poinsettia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Poinsettia plant.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘PER310’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘PER310’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and in the following detailed description were grown during the late autumn/early winter in 16.5-cm containers in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in Encinitas, Calif. and under natural season conditions and cultural practices typical of commercial Poinsettia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 24° C., night temperatures averaged 18° C. and light levels averaged 5,000 foot-candles. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typical flowering plants. Plants were pinched one time and were 17 weeks old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ‘PER310’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Euphorbia     pulcherrima Willd. ‘PER1139’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.     22,180. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About seven to ten days at 20° C.             night temperature and 27° C. day temperature.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About four weeks at             20° C. night temperature and 27° C. day temperature.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant habit and form.—Upright and mounded plant habit;             inverted triangle; large inflorescences positioned above the             foliar plane; moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 40 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 56 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Quantity: Freely branching             habit, about nine lateral branches develop after pinching.             Length: About 37 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm. Internode length:             About 2.5 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: Close to 146B.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:             About 13.2 cm. Width: About 8.5 cm. Shape: Broadly             lanceolate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Rounded. Margin: Mostly             entire. Aspect: Flat. Venation pattern: Pinnate, arcuate.             Texture, upper surface: Scattered pubescence. Texture, lower             surface: Pubescent. Color: Developing leaves, upper surface:             Darker than 139A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to             N137B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Darker than             139A; venation, close to 146B. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to N137B; venation, close to 147C. Petiole:             Length: About 6.8 cm. Diameter: About 3.5 mm. Texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface:             Close to 183C. Color, lower surface: Close to 177B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence type and habit.—Terminal inflorescences are             compound corymbs of cyathia with colored flower bracts             subtending the cyathia; inflorescences uniformly positioned             above the foliar plane.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering response.—Mid-season flowering response; under             natural season conditions, plants typically flower on             November 23 in Southern California; under artificial long             nyctoperiod/short photoperiod conditions, plants flower             about 8.5 weeks later.         -   Post-production longevity.—Good post-production longevity;             plants of the new Poinsettia maintain good substance and             flower bract color for about four weeks under interior             conditions; inflorescences persistent.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 35 cm.         -   Inflorescence height (depth).—About 10 cm to 10.5 cm.         -   Flower bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 18. Length,             largest bracts: About 16 cm. Width, largest bracts: About             12.4 cm. Shape: Broadly lanceolate to elliptical. Apex:             Acuminate. Base: Rounded. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper             surface: Slightly rugose, glabrous. Texture, lower surface:             Veins prominent, glabrous. Aspect: Mostly horizontal, older             bracts drooping. Venation pattern: Pinnate, arcuate. Color:             Developing or transitional bracts, upper surface: Close to             53C to 53D; along midvein, close to 146B to 146D. Developing             or transitional bracts, lower surface: Close to 148C to 148D             tinted with close to 51D and 53D. Fully expanded bracts,             upper surface: Close to 53B with random flecks and sectors,             close to 51C and 53C; venation, close to 53B; ground color             becomes closer to 53C with development. Fully expanded             bracts, lower surface: Close to 47A with random flecks and             sectors, close to 51C; venation, close to 47A; ground color             becoming closer to 53C to 53D with development. Bract             petiole: Length: About 5.8 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 185B.         -   Cyathia.—Quantity per corymb: About twelve. Length: About             1.2 cm. Width: About 6 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color, immature: Close to 146B. Color, mature:             Close to 146B to 146C.         -   Nectaries.—Quantity per cyathium: One. Length: About 4 mm.             Width: About 3 mm. Shape: Elliptical. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Close to 22A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Close to 146C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per cyathium: About             eight. Filament length: About 6 mm. Filament color: Close to             53A. Anther shape: Oval; bi-lobed. Anther length: About             1 mm. Anther color: Close to 53A. Amount of pollen: Scarce.             Pollen color: Close to 14B. Pistils: Pistil development has             not been observed on plants of the new Poinsettia.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production have not been             observed on plants of the new Poinsettia. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have not     been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Poinsettia plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have been     observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 16° C. to about     29° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Poinsettia plant named ‘PER310’ as illustrated and described. 